1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to accessories for use with eyeglasses. More particularly, the present invention is directed to structures for supporting eyeglasses about the user""s head or neck.
2. State of the Art
Eyeglasses retainers of various constructions have been known for some time. Such retainers are usually one of two types. In a first construction, the retainer is directed to essentially storing eyeglasses which are not required for continual use by the wearer. In these constructions, the retainer includes an elongate cord having a means of interconnecting the cord to the frame members, or temple pieces, on a pair of eyeglasses. In many constructions, the means used to interconnect the cord to the eyeglass frames is secured to both opposing ends of the cord. The cord is typically an inelastic structure and is dimensioned to essentially form a necklace about the user""s neck with the eyeglasses being positioned on the user""s chest as the retainer hangs about the user""s neck.
Owing to the size of the user""s head and given the fact that the retainer assembly must pass over the user""s head in order to reach its operative location, the cord of such retainers has typically been dimensioned to be relatively long. It follows that in many instances the eyeglasses will rest at a location down the user""s chest which may not be particularly comfortable or visually attractive. With this disadvantage in mind, many constructions of retainers have adopted the use of a slider positioned on the retainer cord. In those retainer structures which utilize a slider, the cord is oftentimes passed through one channel of the slider and thereafter doubled back on itself and passed through a parallely positioned channel. As the slider is moved along the length of the cord, the effective length of the cord which forms the operative necklace portion of the retainer is dimensionally reduced. This in turn results in the eyeglasses being positioned higher on the user""s chest in a more desirable location.
In a second construction of eyeglasses retainers, the eyeglasses are held operationally in place on a user""s head. For example, many athletes and outdoor enthusiasts will utilize such retainers during the course of athletic or outdoor activities to firmly hold their eyeware in place against dislodgment which would otherwise occur during periods of physical exertion or outdoor activity. In these constructions, the inelastic cord as previously described may be replaced by an elastic band. The use of the elastic band permits the user to position the retainer about his head and thereby apply a retaining force to the eyeglass frame for purposes of retaining the eyeglasses in an operational position.
The present invention includes an elongate member which defines a hollow interior channel which extends along a length of the elongate member. The channel communicates with the environment through a first port defined in the exterior surface of the elongate member. A second port, may also be defined within a sidewall of the elongate member, to communicate with the interior channel. A third port may also be defined within the sidewall of the elongate member to communicate with the interior channel.
In a preferred construction, the first port is defined in a first end of the elongate member. The second port is defined in a first sidewall of the elongate member and the third port is defined in a second sidewall of that member. The second port is preferably positioned in a sidewall which is positioned oppositely from the second sidewall whereby the third port is positioned oppositely from the second port.
The elongate member is formed from a flexible, resilient material which permits the body of the elongate member to flex to accommodate the positioning of a more rigid member within one or more of the identified ports. The flexible material is preferably one having a high coefficient of friction associated therewith such that upon the insertion of the more rigid member through one or more of the referenced ports and into the interior channel, the elongate member tends to releasably abut or adhere itself against the exterior surface of the more rigid member and form a pressure fit union with the more rigid member.
The elongate member may include attachment structure for securing the elongate member to a retaining member such as a cord.
In one configuration of the invention, two elongate members are interconnected to one another by means of an attachment structure secured to each respective elongate member and extending therebetween in this configuration, the elongate members are sized to permit the insertion and retention of portions of a pair of eyeglasses into the interior channel defined within the body of the elongate member. The ports are positioned in this particular embodiment may be defined within the body of the elongate member to facilitate the positioning of the portions of the pair of eyeglasses simultaneously within one or more of the ports. The flexible nature of the elongate member permits that member to flex and other bend to facilitate the insertion and retention of the portions of the pair of eyeglasses within one, two or three of the ports of a selected elongate member. The positioning of the ports within the elongate member permits the pair of eyeglasses to be retained in the elongate member(s) in a variety of retention configurations.